The Visit of the Superioress General and the Director General of the Daughters of Charity during the Círio de Nazaré 2025 (Círio de Nazaré – one of the largest Marian processions in the world)
In October 2025, Belém do Pará, the gateway to the Brazilian Amazon, became the stage for a profoundly symbolic encounter between Vincentian charism and popular spirituality. During the celebrations of the Círio de Nazaré (Círio de Nazaré – one of the largest Marian processions in the world), the Superioress General of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul, Sister Françoise Petit, and the Director General, Father José Antonio González Prieto, CM, visited the Amazon Province, bringing with them a message of peace, attentive listening, and hope.
A Presence That Consoles and Inspires
From October 9 to 14, Sister Françoise immersed herself in the soul of the Amazon. She visited riverside communities, learned about social projects such as “Ação Partilha” (Sharing Action) and “Do Lixo ao Luxo” (From Trash to Treasure), and participated in the Círio pilgrimages with the people of Pará. Her discreet and fraternal presence revealed the heart of the Vincentian charism: to be present, to listen, to serve with tenderness, and to love the poor.
During the Fluvial Pilgrimage, boats adorned with flowers and songs transformed the river into a moving sanctuary. The image of Our Lady of Nazaré advanced through the waters of Guajará Bay, accompanied by thousands of faithful. It was as if Mary were walking upon the waters of the Amazon, blessing her people with hope.
A Spirituality Born of the Land
During her stay, Sister Françoise was enchanted by the local culture. She tasted traditional dishes such as pato no tucupi (duck in tucupi sauce), açaí, and fresh river fish, danced to the rhythm of carimbó (a traditional Amazonian dance), and learned the popular song “Naza, Nazarezinha, Nazaré Rainha…” (“Naza, Little Nazareth, Nazareth Queen…”), sung with enthusiasm by the people. Each gesture expressed communion and respect for Amazonian identity.
Faith in the Amazon carries the scent of wet earth and manifests itself in the streets, markets, homes, and riverbanks. It is an incarnate spirituality, made of simple and welcoming gestures, reflecting the way the Daughters of Charity have lived their vocation in the region for over 90 years.
A Call to Integral Ecology and Fraternity
Inspired by Laudato Si’ by Pope Francis, the visit reinforced the connection between care for the poor and care for our Common Home. The theme of the 2025 Círio, “Mary, Mother and Queen of All Creation,” echoed this call to collective responsibility for the future of the Earth.
In a deeply moving gesture, Sister Françoise consecrated the entire Company to the “Lady of the Berlinda” (Senhora da Berlinda – the title given to Our Lady of Nazaré during the procession), repeating the act of Saint Louise de Marillac in Chartres. Her visit, during the Jubilee Holy Year of Hope, was a living testimony of resilient faith, concrete hope, and a charity that never tires of serving.
A Visit That Continues in Communion
On October 20 and 21, while Belém still pulsed with the faith of the Círio, the city received another visit of profound spiritual significance: the Director General of the Company, Father José Antonio González Prieto, CM, who participated in the Quinzena Nazarena (Nazarene Fortnight – a period of intense religious devotion and fraternal sharing).
Father José Antonio met with the Sisters who serve with silent dedication along the rivers and on the outskirts. Enchanted by the biodiversity and natural beauty of the Amazon, he recognised in it a living Gospel: each tree, each river, each human face reveals the creative and loving presence of God.
Inspired by the theme of the Company’s Assembly, “Artisans of Peace and Hope,” he highlighted the role of the Sisters as witnesses of reconciliation in a world wounded by division. His words deeply touched the communities, affirming vocations and encouraging the joyful and grateful living of fraternity.
A Testimony for the World
The visit of the Superioress General and the Director General to Belém do Pará will be remembered as a prophetic gesture of universal communion. In times of environmental crisis, inequality, and conflict, the Amazon rises as a sign that hope is possible. The faith that smiles even when weary, the charity that never tires of serving, and the spirituality that sings among rivers and markets reveal that God walks with us.
May the Círio continue to be a light for the world, a reminder that peace begins when we learn to draw near to one another with love. Between the scent of incense and the aroma of tucupi, between the songs of the processions and the murmur of the rivers, one certainty remains: peace and hope are still possible when they are lovingly woven with faith, love, and closeness.
Thank you, Lord, for these visits so full of fraternity and hope, which reveal Your gentle divine caresses upon us, who belong to this sacred soil of the Amazon.
Praise be to God!
Sr. Maria Rejiane da Mata Dias, DC
Sr. Anagilsa Sampaio Bentes, DC
